Written Answers Wednesday 19 January 2005

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people live an alcohol-free lifestyle (a) eight and (b) 16 months following alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation programmes.

Rhona Brankin: Information on the percentage of people living an alcohol–free lifestyle following alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation programmes is not held centrally.

Cancer

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to alleviate the financial hardship experienced by many cancer patients.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-9760, on 16 August 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Cancer

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to the recent economic analysis produced by Marie Curie Cancer Care of the potential cost benefits arising from a larger number of terminally-ill patients spending their last days in their own homes and what implications this has for acute and palliative care services.

Mr Andy Kerr: Our policy is to support the development of specialist palliative care, including at home where appropriate. Substantial resources have been invested in palliative care through the Cancer in Scotland strategy.

Cancer

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources have been made available for specialist palliative care services in (a) NHS Greater Glasgow, (b) NHS Argyll and Clyde and (c) Scotland as a whole.

Mr Andy Kerr: Since 2001-02, a portion of the Cancer Strategy funding has been used to provide additional support for palliative care services such as medical, nursing and pharmacy staffing, training and equipment for use in the community. The value of these additional resources in 2004-05 is (a) £360,000 in Greater Glasgow (b) £100,000 in Argyll and Clyde, and (c) £2.4 million in Scotland as a whole.

Child Witnesses

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when further guidance for inclusion in the child witness support pack will be issued.

Hugh Henry: A further two guidance documents for the Child Witness Support Pack are being issued today. These documents are "Information About Child, Young and Vulnerable Adult Witnesses to Inform Decision-Making in the Legal Process – Good Practice Guidance" and "Code of Practice to Facilitate the Provision of Therapeutic Support to Child Witnesses in Court Proceedings".

  The guidance on information about child, young and adult vulnerable witnesses aims to ensure that important information about child and adult vulnerable witnesses is captured at an early stage by the police to inform decision making and the provision of appropriate measures of support by procurators fiscal and children’s reporters. The guidance was developed in partnership with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration.

  The code of practice on the provision of therapeutic support aims to clarify that the provision of therapeutic support prior to court proceedings should not be discouraged and to provide guidelines on how to provide therapeutic support which avoids the contamination of evidence. The guidance was developed by a multi-agency steering group of key stakeholders representing justice, health and welfare agencies.

  Copies of each document have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. numbers: 34974 Code of Practice to Facilitate the Provision of Therapeutic Support to Child Witnesses in Court Proceedings, 34975 Information about Child, Young and Vulnerable Adult Witnesses to Inform Decision Making in the Legal Process – Good Practice Guidance).

Civic Participation

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support will be provided in the (a) medium and (b) long term for organisations that are developing civic participation in public policy development, as envisaged and recommended by the Consultative Steering Group.

Tavish Scott: The Executive continues to support a range of different approaches to developing civic participation in public policy development. We consider every specific proposal for support on its own merits, in accordance with our principles, policy priorities, and the need to ensure value for money.

Community Care

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12844 by Rhona Brankin on 16 December 2004, whether the statement that "funding will be available to local authorities from 2006 onwards to assist further roll-out" indicates that no additional funding has been made available to date.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12844 by Rhona Brankin on 16 December 2004, how much funding will be available to assist the roll-out of direct payments from 2006 onwards, broken down by local authority area.

Rhona Brankin: Direct payments are made in lieu of services which a local authority would normally provide itself. No additional funds have been made available to local authorities for the period up until 2006. From 2006-07, £1.8 million, and for 2007 onwards £2 million will be made available to local authorities to increase uptake by having a dedicated worker in each local authority area to develop support organisations further and to train personal assistants and their employers.

  Details of the local government finance settlement to 2007-08 are available from the following links, where the additional provision has gone into the GAE for Services for People with Disabilities:

  http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/publications/bulletin/HD150.pdf. www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/gaestats.

Council Tax

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering any change in the weighting between council tax bands.

Mr Tom McCabe: There are no plans to change the weighting between council tax bands at this time. Reform of the council tax is one of the options currently being considered by the independent Local Government Finance Review Committee as part of its review of different forms of local taxation. Once the Review Committee has submitted its recommendations to Scottish ministers, we will respond to them.

Crime

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the rate of recorded burglary was per thousand population in Glasgow, broken down by council ward area, in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02, (d) 2002-03 and (e) 2003-04.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table. Information at council ward area is not available centrally.

  The Number of Offences of Housebreaking per 1,000 Population Recorded in the City of Glasgow, 1999-2000 to 2003-04

  
 Year
 Rate Per 1,000 population

 1999-2000
 17.1

 2000-01
 15.6

 2001-02
 14.9

 2002-03
 13.1

 2003-04
 10.6

Crown Estate

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government regarding payment to the Executive of income from the Crown Estate Commission in respect of salmon farming.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has made no representations to Her Majesty’s Government regarding payment to the Executive of income from the Crown Estate. Any Crown Estate surplus is paid in full into the Consolidated Fund, no part of which is hypothecated or ring fenced.

Disclosure Scotland

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff were employed by Disclosure Scotland in each year since its establishment, broken down into (a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) temporary staff.

Cathy Jamieson: The numbers of staff employed since Disclosure Scotland was established in April 2002 are set out in the table. The numbers include staff employed by British Telecommunications plc and the Scottish Criminal Record Office who operate the service in partnership on behalf of Scottish ministers.

  
 Year
 Full-Time
 Part-Time
 Temporary
 Total

 April 2002
 47
 0.5
 0
 47.5

 April 2003
 72
 13.4
 0
 85.4

 April 2004
 108
 33.5
 52
 193.5

 December 2004
 100
 26.5
 24
 150.5

Disclosure Scotland

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it has received from Disclosure Scotland that it will be able to meet the targets set by the Executive in respect of processing application forms for (a) basic, (b) standard and (c) enhanced disclosures.

Cathy Jamieson: Disclosure Scotland deals with applications in date order as they are received with no distinction as to the level of check requested.

  Following the delays of last year, Disclosure Scotland has revised its process and introduced new technology to ensure that it operates as quickly as possible. Processing performance is monitored on a daily basis. This allows Disclosure Scotland to react quickly to any deficit between receipts and issues so that its service level target of issuing certificates for 90% of valid applications within 14 working days can be maintained.

Efficient Government

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S2W-10453, lodged on 9 September 2004.

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S2W-10452, lodged on 9 September 2004.

Mr Tom McCabe: I refer you to the answer to question S2W-10452 on 24 December 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Employment

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12470 by Mr Jim Wallace on 7 December 2004, whether it will express the figures in table 5, Working Age People in Employment by Local Authority Area, as percentages of the total population in each local authority area and outline how many people are employed within their local authority area of residence as opposed to another local authority area.

Mr Jim Wallace: Table 1 gives the number of working age people in employment divided by the total number of working age people for each local authority area in Scotland. This is the working age employment rate for each local authority area in Scotland.

  Table 2 gives the number of working age people in employment divided by the total population for each Local Authority Area in Scotland. This proportion can be misleading since the total population contains people who are under 16 and people above the retirement age, while the numerator only contains those of working age.

  Table 3 gives the number of people who work and live in the same local authority area and those who work and live in different Local Authority Areas. This data is only available on an annual basis for 2003.

  The data for tables 1 to 3 are estimated from the Annual Scottish Labour Force Survey (ASLFS) which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics. The ASLFS years run from March to February.

  Table 1: Working Age1 Employment Rate by Scottish Local Authority Area

  
 Local Authority Area
 Year

 Mar 99 – Feb 00
 Mar 00 – Feb 01
 Mar 01 – Feb 02
 Mar 02 – Feb 03
 Mar 03 – Feb 04

 Scotland
 71.2
 73.0
 73.0
 73.5
 73.4

 Aberdeen City
 78.1
 77.9
 76.1
 79.5
 76.8

 Aberdeenshire
 77.4
 81.6
 81.4
 80.4
 79.1

 Angus
 76.5
 81.3
 81.6
 75.2
 74.2

 Argyll and Bute
 72.9
 75.1
 76.4
 83.2
 75.6

 Clackmannanshire
 63.4
 63.4
 64.5
 65.3
 71.9

 Dumfries and Galloway
 70.4
 72.9
 74.4
 76.2
 77.6

 Dundee City
 65.3
 65.7
 68.8
 67.3
 69.4

 East Ayrshire
 63.8
 66.9
 68.7
 71.2
 70.3

 East Dunbartonshire
 76.1
 72.8
 76.1
 75.9
 78.9

 East Lothian
 77.2
 72.1
 75.9
 73.3
 75.0

 East Renfrewshire
 76.9
 79.3
 75.7
 77.0
 78.6

 Edinburgh, City of
 74.2
 75.9
 77.3
 77.3
 74.8

 Eilean Siar
 63.0
 78.6
 78.5
 76.2
 81.1

 Falkirk
 74.5
 76.4
 69.1
 68.0
 75.8

 Fife
 73.6
 74.1
 72.2
 72.5
 75.5

 Glasgow City
 54.9
 61.4
 60.1
 62.1
 64.3

 Highland
 76.5
 78.1
 78.6
 81.9
 80.5

 Inverclyde
 74.0
 75.4
 67.3
 63.4
 67.4

 Midlothian
 78.0
 82.1
 84.4
 81.1
 76.5

 Moray
 80.7
 81.4
 79.0
 78.0
 78.3

 North Ayrshire
 66.8
 68.0
 67.5
 68.7
 66.7

 North Lanarkshire
 64.3
 64.3
 67.6
 69.0
 66.3

 Orkney Islands
 87.0
 88.6
 75.9
 86.9
 83.9

 Perthshire and Kinross
 79.4
 79.3
 81.1
 80.6
 78.2

 Renfrewshire
 74.4
 75.1
 75.5
 76.9
 74.2

 Scottish Borders
 79.8
 83.3
 81.5
 75.3
 80.1

 Shetland Islands
 81.0
 85.8
 84.7
 79.4
 84.2

 South Ayrshire
 68.0
 72.3
 70.9
 74.3
 74.1

 South Lanarkshire
 76.4
 72.4
 74.6
 75.2
 73.5

 Stirling
 65.5
 70.1
 72.6
 69.0
 74.5

 West Dunbartonshire
 63.1
 66.4
 69.8
 72.8
 68.6

 West Lothian
 78.4
 78.2
 78.6
 79.1
 76.2



  Source: Annual Scottish Labour Force Survey 1999-2000 – 2003-04.

  Note: 1. Working age is defined as women aged 16 to 59 and men aged 16 to 64 years inclusive

  Table 2: Percentage of Working Age1 People in Employment as a Proportion of Total Population by Scottish Local Authority Area.

  
 Local Authority Area
 Year

 Mar 99 – Feb 00
 Mar 00 – Feb 01
 Mar 01 – Feb 02
 Mar 02 – Feb 03
 Mar 03 – Feb 04

 Scotland
 43.8
 45.0
 45.1
 45.5
 45.4

 Aberdeen City
 50.3
 49.2
 49.5
 50.2
 48.9

 Aberdeenshire
 48.0
 50.7
 52.0
 50.6
 49.3

 Angus
 47.5
 51.4
 49.8
 46.2
 44.6

 Argyll and Bute
 39.3
 42.8
 43.8
 45.0
 42.7

 Clackmannanshire
 37.3
 35.3
 39.5
 37.6
 44.0

 Dumfries and Galloway
 42.5
 44.7
 42.6
 44.1
 44.8

 Dundee City
 39.9
 40.9
 42.6
 42.3
 41.2

 East Ayrshire
 37.3
 40.8
 42.4
 44.3
 42.7

 East Dunbartonshire
 46.0
 47.9
 49.9
 45.7
 49.5

 East Lothian
 47.1
 44.5
 45.5
 40.8
 46.1

 East Renfrewshire
 46.3
 48.3
 45.9
 46.9
 49.1

 Edinburgh, City of
 48.1
 48.2
 49.7
 51.3
 48.8

 Eilean Siar
 33.1
 48.5
 45.4
 38.2
 46.0

 Falkirk
 48.4
 50.5
 46.1
 44.0
 46.6

 Fife
 43.8
 45.9
 45.2
 45.6
 46.3

 Glasgow City
 34.0
 37.8
 38.0
 39.3
 41.2

 Highland
 46.4
 45.4
 46.0
 47.6
 47.8

 Inverclyde
 44.5
 46.1
 38.0
 37.1
 40.9

 Midlothian
 44.6
 48.1
 46.9
 48.4
 48.9

 Moray
 48.4
 49.6
 50.6
 47.3
 45.7

 North Ayrshire
 39.4
 41.1
 40.5
 40.5
 40.4

 North Lanarkshire
 40.7
 39.5
 42.7
 43.9
 41.3

 Orkney Islands
 61.8
 62.2
 46.8
 52.1
 51.8

 Perthshire and Kinross
 45.1
 45.2
 48.2
 48.8
 45.6

 Renfrewshire
 46.4
 47.2
 46.9
 48.9
 45.6

 Scottish Borders
 46.3
 48.0
 46.8
 42.8
 47.1

 Shetland Islands
 53.3
 58.6
 45.5
 54.7
 50.3

 South Ayrshire
 39.0
 43.6
 42.8
 44.8
 43.9

 South Lanarkshire
 48.6
 44.0
 44.3
 46.0
 45.9

 Stirling
 41.0
 38.3
 38.3
 38.3
 46.3

 West Dunbartonshire
 39.2
 42.6
 45.0
 48.5
 42.2

 West Lothian
 49.8
 52.2
 51.6
 49.4
 50.3



  Source: Annual Scottish Labour Force Survey 1999-2000 – 2003-04

  1 Working age is defined as women aged 16 to 59 and men aged 16 to 64 years inclusive

  Table 3: Resident working age1 people who are employed by local authority area and work place, March 2003 to February 2004.

  
 Resident in Local Authority Area
 Work in Local Authority Area
 Work in Different Local Authority Area
 Work Place Unknown2
 All

 Scotland
 1,613,000
 652,000
 29,000
 2,295,000

 Aberdeen City
 92,000
 6,000
 3,000
 101,000

 Aberdeenshire
 69,000
 39,000
 5,000
 113,000

 Angus
 30,000
 17,000
 1,000
 48,000

 Argyll and Bute
 26,000
 14,000
 *
 39,000

 Clackmannanshire
 10,000
 11,000
 ..
 21,000

 Dumfries and Galloway
 60,000
 5,000
 1,000
 66,000

 Dundee City
 52,000
 6,000
 1,000
 59,000

 East Ayrshire
 29,000
 20,000
 1,000
 51,000

 East Dunbartonshire
 15,000
 37,000
 *
 53,000

 East Lothian
 21,000
 21,000
 *
 42,000

 East Renfrewshire
 10,000
 34,000
 ..
 44,000

 Edinburgh, City of
 189,000
 29,000
 1,000
 219,000

 Eilean Siar
 11,000
 *
 *
 12,000

 Falkirk
 46,000
 22,000
 *
 68,000

 Fife
 128,000
 32,000
 3,000
 163,000

 Glasgow City
 198,000
 38,000
 2,000
 238,000

 Highland
 95,000
 3,000
 2,000
 100,000

 Inverclyde
 25,000
 9,000
 1,000
 34,000

 Midlothian
 13,000
 26,000
 *
 39,000

 Moray
 35,000
 4,000
 1,000
 40,000

 North Ayrshire
 33,000
 21,000
 1,000
 55,000

 North Lanarkshire
 74,000
 58,000
 1,000
 133,000

 Orkney Islands
 9,000
 *
 *
 10,000

 Perthshire and Kinross
 47,000
 14,000
 1,000
 62,000

 Renfrewshire
 42,000
 35,000
 1,000
 78,000

 Scottish Borders
 40,000
 10,000
 *
 51,000

 Shetland Islands
 11,000
 ..
 ..
 11,000

 South Ayrshire
 34,000
 14,000
 1,000
 49,000

 South Lanarkshire
 73,000
 65,000
 1,000
 139,000

 Stirling
 27,000
 13,000
 *
 40,000

 West Dunbartonshire
 22,000
 17,000
 1,000
 39,000

 West Lothian
 51,000
 30,000
 *
 81,000



  Source: Annual Scottish Labour Force Survey 2003-04.

  Notes:

  1. Working age is defined as women aged 16 to 59 and men aged 16 to 64 years inclusive.

  2. The respondent has not specified his/her workplace.

  .. – Disclosive.

  * - Estimate is less than 1,000 and statistically unreliable.

Environment

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-11984 and S2W-12004 by Lewis Macdonald on 19 November 2004, what part of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 applies to listed features of interest of Ramsar sites to afford protection outside the candidate Special Area of Conservation to the listed peatland and blanket bog interest of the Lewis Pentlands Ramsar site.

Lewis Macdonald: The habitat features of the Lewis Peatlands Ramsar Site designated under Criterion 1 of the Ramsar Convention are found wholly within the boundary of the Lewis Peatlands candidate Special Area of Conservation (cSAC). They therefore receive protection under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 as amended in 2004.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what sum remains unspent from the sale of the former Commonwealth Institute in Rutland Square, Edinburgh and what plans it has to spend that money.

Tavish Scott: Scottish Executive were not involved in the sale of this building which we understand was owned by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Further and Higher Education

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the means by which students in further and higher education are informed that they can apply for help with some healthcare costs through the HC1 form.

Mr Jim Wallace: The HC1 form is used to claim help with health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme. Forms are widely available from community pharmacies, GP and dental practices, Citizen Advice Scotland Offices and Local Authority One Stop Shops. An explanatory booklet Help with Health Costs is produced by the NHS and gives guidance about NHS charging arrangements. In addition NHS Scotland produces "A Quick Guide to Help with Health Costs" and also provides information and general advice through a helpline and on its website www.show.scot.nhs.uk .

  The Scottish Executive does not produce specific information for students on help with healthcare costs. However, colleges and universities often provide this information to students in their student handbook, and through their student welfare services.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under 16 have been prescribed Ritalin in each of the last seven years.

Mr Andy Kerr: Prescription data collected centrally do not relate to the number of patients receiving treatment but to the numbers and cost of prescribed items dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors.

  These data cannot be used as a proxy for the number of patients receiving treatment with any particular drug.

Health

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pregnancies there were to girls conceiving under 16 in rural areas in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Mr Andy Kerr: Comprehensive information on teenage pregnancies, broken down by both NHS board and local authority area, is published by the Information and Statistics Division of National Health Services Scotland and is available electronically at:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/info3.jsp?pContentID=2106&p_applic=CCC&p_service=Content.show&.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what data is has on the incidence of accidents in the home, broken down by age group, in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02, (d) 2002-03, (e) 2003-04 and (f) 2004-05, expressed also as a percentage of all accidental injury admissions to accident and emergency departments in each year.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS treatment for unintentional injuries may be provided in a number of health settings, including general practice, accident and emergency departments and as an in-patient in a hospital. Data available nationally, at a level of detail that would allow the place of the injury (e.g. home) to be identified, are only available for those patients admitted as an in-patient to a hospital. In general, it is likely that patients admitted to hospital will have a more serious injury than those treated in general practice or within accident and emergency departments.

  Information on the number of those admitted as an in-patient to hospital in the period 1999-2000 to 2003-04 by age group is shown in the following table. Full information for 2004-05 is not yet available.

  The Scottish Executive has procured a national accident and emergency system for recording unintentional injury that is presently being rolled out across NHSScotland.

  Table 1. Number of Emergency In-Patient Hospital Admissions as a Result of an Unintentional Injury by Age Group, Year Ending 31 March

  
 Type of Injury 1
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004

 Home Injuries 2
 18,809
 17,962
 17,963
 17,312
 16,676

 <1
 494
 476
 485
 447
 440

 1-4
 2,544
 2,346
 2,338
 2,097
 1,905

 5-9
 939
 842
 822
 776
 732

 10-14
 471
 434
 444
 408
 380

 15-24
 819
 881
 827
 694
 650

 25-44
 2,166
 2,132
 1,995
 1,814
 1,694

 45-64
 2,624
 2,533
 2,461
 2,449
 2,417

 65-74
 2,160
 2,074
 2,123
 2,020
 2,032

 75+
 6,592
 6,244
 6,468
 6,607
 6,426

 All Injuries 3
 66,090
 66,251
 67,199
 64,642
 60,339

 <1
 628
 623
 642
 621
 615

 1-4
 3,944
 3,689
 3,722
 3,395
 3,127

 5-9
 3,923
 3,602
 3,557
 3,407
 3,232

 10-14
 4,063
 3,671
 3,905
 3,688
 3,559

 15-24
 9,005
 9,386
 9,678
 9,158
 7,969

 25-44
 14,767
 15,181
 15,370
 14,210
 12,683

 45-64
 10,735
 11,217
 11,128
 10,987
 10,506

 65-74
 5,917
 5,931
 5,839
 5,810
 5,678

 75+
 13,108
 12,951
 13,358
 13,366
 12,970

 Percentage Home Injuries
 28.5
 27.1
 26.7
 26.8
 27.6

 <1
 78.7
 76.4
 75.5
 72.0
 71.5

 1-4
 64.5
 63.6
 62.8
 61.8
 60.9

 5-9
 23.9
 23.4
 23.1
 22.8
 22.6

 10-14
 11.6
 11.8
 11.4
 11.1
 10.7

 15-24
 9.1
 9.4
 8.5
 7.6
 8.2

 25-44
 14.7
 14.0
 13.0
 12.8
 13.4

 45-64
 24.4
 22.6
 22.1
 22.3
 23.0

 65-74
 36.5
 35.0
 36.4
 34.8
 35.8

 75+
 50.3
 48.2
 48.4
 49.4
 49.5



  Source: ISD Scotland (SMR01).

  Notes:

  1. These statistics are derived from data collected on discharges from non-obstetric and non-psychiatric hospitals (SMR01) in Scotland.

  2. Home injuries are identified using SMR01 admission type code 33 – Patient Injury (inc poisoning in the home).

  3. Unintentional injuries are identified using SMR01 admission type codes 32-35, these include:

  32 – Patient injury, Road Traffic Accident (RTA).

  33 – Patient injury, Home injury (including accidental poisoning in the home).

  34 – Patient injury, injury at work.

  35 – Patient injury, other injury (including accidental poisoning other than in the home), not elsewhere classified.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the most recent data are that it has on the incidence of accidents in the home, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) local authority ward.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS treatment for unintentional injuries may be provided in a number of health settings including general practice, accident and emergency departments and as an in-patient in a hospital. Data available nationally at a level of detail that would allow the place of the injury (e.g. home) to be identified are only available for those patients admitted as an in-patient to a hospital. In general, it is likely that patients admitted to hospital will have a more serious injury than those treated in general practice or within accident and emergency departments.

  Information on the number of those admitted as an in-patient to hospital in the period 2003-04 by council area is shown in the following table. Information split by council ward area is not held centrally.

  Table 1. Number of Emergency In-Patient Hospital Admissions as a Result of an Unintentional Injury by Council Area, Year Ending 31 March 20041

  
 Council Area
 
 Home
 All
 %

 Injuries 2
 Injuries 3

 Total
 16,676
 60,339
 27.6

 1
 Aberdeen City
 1,031
 3,529
 29.2

 2
 Aberdeenshire
 864
 3,015
 28.7

 3
 Angus
 376
 1,092
 34.4

 4
 Argyll and Bute
 371
 1,383
 26.8

 5
 Scottish Borders
 461
 1,075
 42.9

 6
 Clackmannanshire
 220
 519
 42.4

 7
 West Dunbartonshire
 169
 1,264
 13.4

 8
 Dumfries and Galloway
 526
 1,198
 43.9

 9
 Dundee City
 609
 1,824
 33.4

 10
 East Ayrshire
 599
 1,802
 33.2

 11
 East Dunbartonshire
 148
 914
 16.2

 12
 East Lothian
 161
 752
 21.4

 13
 East Renfrewshire
 248
 868
 28.6

 14
 Edinburgh, City of
 946
 3,700
 25.6

 15
 Falkirk
 558
 1,363
 40.9

 16
 Fife
 1,140
 3,193
 35.7

 17
 Glasgow City
 1,269
 8,390
 15.1

 18
 Highland
 1,084
 3,527
 30.7

 19
 Inverclyde
 327
 1,253
 26.1

 20
 Midlothian
 190
 673
 28.2

 21
 Moray
 361
 937
 38.5

 22
 North Ayrshire
 602
 1,961
 30.7

 23
 North Lanarkshire
 849
 3,703
 22.9

 24
 Orkney Islands
 163
 357
 45.7

 25
 Perth and Kinross
 588
 1,664
 35.3

 26
 Renfrewshire
 322
 2,265
 14.2

 27
 Shetland Islands
 52
 223
 23.3

 28
 South Ayrshire
 673
 1,657
 40.6

 29
 South Lanarkshire
 763
 3,376
 22.6

 30
 Stirling
 395
 934
 42.3

 31
 West Lothian
 461
 1,619
 28.5

 32
 Eilean Siar
 150
 309
 48.5



  PProvisional.

  Source: ISD Scotland (SMR01).

  Notes:

  1. These statistics are derived from data collected on discharges from non-obstetric and non-psychiatric hospitals (SMR01) in Scotland.

  2. Home injuries are identified using SMR01 admission type code 33 – Patient Injury (including poisoning in the home).

  3. Unintentional INJURIES are identified using SMR01 admission type codes 32-35, these include:

  32 – Patient injury, Road Traffic Accident (RTA).

  33 – Patient injury, home injury (including accidental poisoning in the home).

  34 – Patient injury, injury at work.

  35 – Patient injury, other injury (inc. accidental poisoning other than in the home), not elsewhere classified.

Health

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce national eligibility criteria for access to palliative care to prevent any anomalies arising due to different criteria being applied by different NHS boards and local authorities.

Mr Andy Kerr: Our policy is that palliative care should be available to everyone who needs it. A number of Managed Clinical Networks are already in place to plan and provide palliative care services and they would be expected to ensure fair and consistent access to palliative care within their areas.

Health

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the shortfall in palliative care consultants is and what steps are being taken to address this issue.

Mr Andy Kerr: The latest published data is derived from the medical census on 30 September 2003. On this date, there was an establishment of 21 consultant posts in palliative care, all of which were filled.

Health and Safety

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether there are any plans for separate Scottish guidelines on the safety of cemetery memorials.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has no information about plans to issue separate Scottish guidelines on the safety of cemetery memorials.

Hospices

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that hospices that provide services for NHS patients receive funding that reflects the different needs of such patients.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS boards should be providing 50% of the costs of services that hospices provide on their behalf by no later than the beginning of the financial year 2006-07. There is an understanding that the 50% commitment should apply only to the elements of hospices’ running costs that have been agreed by both partners and these elements should be specified in the service agreement between the board and the hospice.

  Full details of this arrangement are set out in the Health Department letter: HDL(2003)18 available at www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/mels/HDL2003_18.pdf.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are in place for nursing a patient who has MRSA.

Mr Andy Kerr: Each NHS board has procedures and protocols for managing patients with infections and for preventing further spread to other patients, staff, or visitors. These would include guidance on hand hygiene, isolation procedures and the use of protective clothing (e.g. gloves and aprons). We would also expect patients to be given written information on MRSA if they were infected. Implementation of, and compliance with these are required under the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Infection Control Standards (2001), and will be reported on by NHS QIS in mid 2005.

  The current national infection control guidance, the Scottish Infection Manual, will be superseded in 2005 by the production of model infection control policies and procedures as part of the work of the Ministerial HAI Task Force.

Justice

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12713 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 December 2004, what the average fine has been, where a monetary penalty was awarded, for a first offender convicted of (a) non-sexual crimes of violence, (b) serious assault, (c) robbery, (d) crimes of indecency, (e) rape, (f) attempted rape, (g) indecent assault, (h) crimes of dishonesty, (i) housebreaking, (j) shoplifting, (k) fraud, (l) fire-raising, (m) vandalism, (n) handling an offensive weapon, (o) drugs, (p) petty assault, (q) breach of the peace and (r) drink driving in each of the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the table.

  Persons with No Previous Convictions1 Given a Monetary Penalty - Average Fine Imposed, 1998-2002

  
 Type of Offence2
 Number of Persons Fined
 Average Fine (£)

 Non-sexual Crimes of Violence 
 

 1998
 99
 388

 1999
 118
 446

 2000
 78
 568

 2001
 76
 432

 20023
 121
 396

 Serious Assault 
 

 1998
 63
 408

 1999
 90
 528

 2000
 63
 511

 2001
 56
 507

 20023
 97
 412

 Robbery 
 
 

 1998
 16
 216

 1999
 10
 194

 2000
 8
 234

 2001
 7
 260

 20023
 9
 306

 Crimes of Indecency 
 

 1998
 81
 268

 1999
 72
 288

 2000
 55
 271

 2001
 61
 335

 20023
 45
 283

 Rape 
 

 1998
 -
 -

 1999
 -
 -

 2000
 -
 -

 2001
 -
 -

 20023
 -
 -

 Attempted Rape
 

 1998
 -
 -

 1999
 -
 -

 2000
 -
 -

 2001
 -
 -

 20023
 -
 -

 Indecent Assault 
 

 1998
 11
 500

 1999
 10
 560

 2000
 8
 419

 2001
 9
 528

 20023
 11
 309

 Crimes of Dishonesty 
 

 1998
 2,587
 180

 1999
 2,048
 181

 2000
 1,801
 200

 2001
 1,789
 192

 20023
 1,559
 186

 House breaking 
 

 1998
 142
 169

 1999
 130
 177

 2000
 124
 187

 2001
 105
 208

 20023
 84
 213

 Shoplifting 
 

 1998
 511
 85

 1999
 402
 93

 2000
 393
 89

 2001
 381
 102

 20023
 325
 98

 Fraud 
 

 1998
 573
 217

 1999
 427
 224

 2000
 378
 319

 2001
 390
 222

 20023
 379
 200

 Fire-raising 
 

 1998
 8
 365

 1999
 11
 314

 2000
 11
 216

 2001
 11
 185

 20023
 8
 289

 Vandalism 
 

 1998
 877
 108

 1999
 724
 104

 2000
 754
 118

 2001
 733
 128

 20023
 723
 120

 Handling an Offensive Weapon
 

 1998
 291
 228

 1999
 293
 213

 2000
 288
 229

 2001
 343
 240

 20023
 359
 252

 Drugs 
 

 1998
 1,236
 184

 1999
 994
 171

 2000
 892
 165

 2001
 933
 179

 20023
 893
 187

 Common Assault 
 

 1998
 2,392
 200

 1999
 2,099
 207

 2000
 1,893
 214

 2001
 2,023
 226

 20023
 2,090
 224

 Breach of the Peace 
 
 

 1998
 2,459
 122

 1999
 1,922
 128

 2000
 1,857
 134

 2001
 2,074
 140

 20023
 2,006
 144

 Drink Driving4
 
 

 1998
 6,804
 351

 1999
 6,383
 360

 2000
 6,166
 360

 2001
 6,232
 384

 20023
 8,113
 389



  Notes:

  1. No convictions in Scotland since the start of 1989 for a crime, common assault, breach of the peace, racially aggravated conduct or harassment, firearms offences or social security offences.

  2. Where main offence.

  3. Figures may be underestimates due to time taken to record details of some court proceedings.

  4. First offenders cannot be separately identified from other offenders for this offence; the figures therefore relate to all persons convicted of this offence.

Justice

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the value of proceeds of district court fines sent to HM Treasury has been in each year since 1999.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table:

  Value of Fines Sent to Exchequer (£000s)

  
 1999-20001
 2000-012
 2001-023
 2002-034
 2003-045

 2,860
 2,200
 2,259
 2,847
 2,927



  Notes:

  1. Excludes North Lanarkshire and Stirling.

  2. Excludes Edinburgh, North Lanarkshire and Stirling.

  3. Excludes North Lanarkshire, Stirling and West Lothian.

  4. Excludes Eilean Siar, North Lanarkshire and Stirling.

  5. Provisional data. Excludes Eilean Siar, North Lanarkshire and Stirling.

Legislation

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to ensure that Scottish legislation complies with the EU Directive on asylum procedures.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Home Office is responsible for ensuring that the United Kingdom complies with any EU Directive on asylum related issues. However, Home Office officials liaise with Scottish Executive officials to ensure that, where appropriate, Scottish legislation enables the UK Government to comply with these.

Minimum Wage

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the working population in rural areas earns the minimum wage, broken down by local authority area.

Mr Jim Wallace: The preferred source for earnings data is the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics. It is not possible to provide the number of people who are earning the minimum wage or below by local authority area as sample sizes are too small. However the ASHE estimates that 1.2% of employees living in Rural Local Authority areas 1,2 were earning the minimum wage or below in 2004 compared to 0.9% of employees in Scotland.

  Notes:

  1. The rural local authority areas are Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, Eilean Siar, Highland, Moray, Orkney islands, Perth and Kinross, Scottish Borders, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, Stirling

  2. Estimates are based on those on full-time adult rates whose earnings have not been affected by absence.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS staff have been suspended as a result of (a) patients’ complaints, and (b) complaints from other members of staff in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not currently held centrally. However, information on the number of disciplinary hearings and grievances that result in an action and result in no action is being collected for the first time as at 30 September 2004 using the Staff Governance Standard Self Assessment Audit Tool and data should be available around the middle of the year.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many clinical staff are excluded from work or have restrictions placed on their activities (a) due to concerns about patient safety and (b) where allegations of misconduct have been made.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not collected centrally.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the additional cost was to the NHS to cover costs incurred on staff cover to replace excluded staff, including salary costs, management time and legal costs, in each of the last five years.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS staff are suspended from work for over (a) three months, (b) six months, (c) one year and (d) two years.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how the care management of an excluded member of NHS staff includes support to ensure that their psychological well-being is being addressed.

Mr Andy Kerr: I would expect the NHS employer to maintain contact with the employee throughout any investigation or disciplinary process and if it was felt necessary to refer the employee to the occupational health service. However, it is thought that most employees would consult with their own GP if they considered their health was at risk. It is also open to any member of staff to self-refer themselves to the local occupational health. Any such self referral would be in confidence and not divulged to the employer.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how excluded NHS staff can maintain their clinical skills.

Mr Andy Kerr: There are currently no procedures in place for all suspended or excluded NHS staff to maintain their clinical skills. However, NHS employers use Scottish Executive guidance as well as the Partnership Information Network guidelines on management of employee capability, to offer support, guidance and, if necessary, training to improve poor performance before it reaches the stage of requiring exclusion from the workplace, or, where it is practicable, to support rehabilitation of those suspended or excluded staff who are able to return to work. NHS staff may be suspended or excluded from their duties if their personal or professional conduct or competence has raised concern for the safety and interests of patients and other staff.

NHS Staff

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether consideration is being given to introducing an NHS code of practice on the recruitment of health workers that explicitly prevents the targeting of developing countries for active recruitment.

Mr Andy Kerr: Yes. The Scottish Executive is currently considering a Code of Practice for International Recruitment for NHSScotland health care personnel.

NHS Staff

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many health workers from developing countries are currently employed by the NHS.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally at present. However, work is currently underway to improve the quality of information we hold about health care workers.

NHS Waiting Lists

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9744 by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 August 2004, how many out-patients in each NHS board area were waiting for (a) less than nine, (b) less than 13, (c) less than 26 and (d) more than 52 weeks for an NHS appointment, broken down by individual speciality for the quarter to (i) March 1999, (ii) June 1999, (iii) March 2000, (iv) March 2001, (v) March 2002 and (vi) March 2003.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested for NHSScotland is set out in the following tables.

  Every year NHSScotland undertakes 4 million out-patient appointments, of which around 1 million of these are first out-patient appointments. Nearly 90% of patients receive their first out-patient appointment within 26 weeks.

  I have arranged for the information requested for NHS boards to be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number: 33875) as it runs to 80 pages.

  NHSScotland: Number of Consultant-Led First Out-Patient Appointments, Following Referral by a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, Undertaken Within Nine Weeks, 13 Weeks, 26 Weeks, and After 52 Weeks, by Specialty1, During the Quarter Ended 31 March 1999.

  
 NHS Board
 Specialty
 Number of Appointments undertaken

Within9 Weeks
Within13 Weeks
Within26 Weeks
After52 Weeks

 NHSScotland
 All Specialties
 177,437
 212,443
 256,456
 897

 
 Anaesthetics
 405
 572
 950
 5

 
 Cardiology
 5 907
 6 839
 7 458
 16

 
 Cardiothoracic Surgery
 467
 492
 499
 -

 
 Chemical Pathology
 3
 4
 5
 -

 
 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
 1 023
 1 168
 1 297
 9

 
 Clinical Genetics
 114
 182
 281
 2

 
 Clinical Oncology
 454
 459
 464
 2

 
 Clinical Radiology
 6
 6
 6
 -

 
 Dermatology
 11,747
 14,292
 18,790
 66

 
 Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
 13,852
 17,909
 24,064
 50

 
 Endocrinology and Diabetes
 2,272
 2,708
 3,142
 5

 
 Forensic Psychiatry
 3
 3
 3
 -

 
 Gastroenterology
 2,309
 3,372
 4,313
 9

 
 General Medicine
 9,560
 11,396
 12,714
 47

 
 General Practice
 465
 478
 484
 -

 
 General Psychiatry (Mental Illness)
 6,794
 7,421
 7,924
 30

 
 General Surgery
 29,496
 34,306
 39,112
 85

 
 Geriatric Medicine
 3,177
 3,258
 3,281
 12

 
 Gynaecology
 19,036
 22,714
 24,967
 60

 
 Haematology
 1,557
 1,594
 1,634
 3

 
 Homeopathy
 136
 199
 354
 90

 
 Infectious Diseases
 668
 699
 729
 1

 
 Learning Disability (Mental Handicap)
 63
 64
 64
 -

 
 Medical Oncology
 130
 130
 130
 -

 
 Neurology
 1,796
 2,208
 3,433
 13

 
 Neurosurgery
 560
 668
 895
 4

 
 Obstetrics
 12,991
 13,223
 13,335
 39

 
 Occupational Medicine
 3
 3
 3
 -

 
 Ophthalmology
 11,662
 15,091
 20,302
 46

 
 Oral Medicine
 301
 553
 693
 -

 
 Oral Surgery
 3,303
 4,442
 5,780
 15

 
 Orthodontics
 1,356
 1,807
 2,548
 43

 
 Paediatric Dentistry
 810
 842
 854
 1

 
 Paediatric Surgery
 1,070
 1,500
 1,989
 6

 
 Paediatrics
 4,644
 5,294
 5,672
 10

 
 Palliative Medicine
 26
 26
 26
 -

 
 Plastic Surgery
 2,664
 3,342
 4,815
 36

 
 Psychiatry of Old Age
 2,346
 2,407
 2,436
 9

 
 Rehabilitation Medicine
 407
 480
 550
 2

 
 Renal Medicine
 471
 505
 542
 -

 
 Respiratory Medicine
 3,227
 3,410
 3,541
 11

 
 Restorative Dentistry
 224
 430
 959
 2

 
 Rheumatology
 1,885
 2,237
 3,032
 10

 
 Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
 10,991
 14,540
 21,859
 123

 
 Urology
 7,056
 9,170
 10,527
 35



  NHSScotland: Number of Consultant-Led First Out-Patient Appointments, Following Referral by a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, Undertaken within Nine Weeks, 13 Weeks, 26 Weeks, and after 52 Weeks, by Specialty1, during the Quarter Ended 30 June 1999.

  
 NHS Board
 Specialty
 Number of Appointments Undertaken

 Within 9 Weeks
 Within 13 Weeks
 Within 26 Weeks
 After 52 Weeks

 NHSScotland
 All Specialties
 176,368
 211,471
 250,740
 944

 
 Anaesthetics
 368
 515
 915
 17

 
 Cardiology
 5,636
 6,616
 7,131
 7

 
 Cardiothoracic Surgery
 396
 415
 419
 -

 
 Chemical Pathology
 4
 4
 4
 -

 
 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
 907
 1,073
 1,278
 10

 
 Clinical Genetics
 188
 257
 381
 2

 
 Clinical Oncology
 610
 619
 619
 1

 
 Clinical Radiology
 9
 9
 9
 -

 
 Dermatology
 11,347
 14,643
 18,312
 68

 
 Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
 14,084
 17,670
 22,814
 75

 
 Endocrinology and Diabetes
 2,341
 2,929
 3,470
 8

 
 Forensic Psychiatry
 4
 4
 5
 -

 
 Gastroenterology
 2,194
 2,977
 4,122
 7

 
 General Medicine
 9,647
 11,645
 12,823
 59

 
 General Practice
 539
 561
 576
 2

 
 General Psychiatry (Mental Illness)
 6,567
 7,242
 7,671
 16

 
 General Surgery
 30,033
 34,494
 38,748
 50

 
 Geriatric Medicine
 3,226
 3,289
 3,319
 2

 
 Gynaecology
 19,207
 22,505
 24,418
 26

 
 Haematology
 1,515
 1,582
 1,618
 -

 
 Homeopathy
 173
 230
 370
 63

 
 Infectious Diseases
 642
 679
 688
 -

 
 Learning Disability (Mental Handicap)
 65
 66
 69
 -

 
 Medical Oncology
 149
 151
 152
 -

 
 Neurology
 1,854
 2,318
 3,446
 28

 
 Neurosurgery
 550
 604
 817
 3

 
 Obstetrics
 12,128
 12,338
 12,439
 20

 
 Occupational Medicine
 4
 4
 4
 -

 
 Ophthalmology
 12,225
 15,743
 20,397
 40

 
 Oral Medicine
 334
 487
 590
 2

 
 Oral Surgery
 3,392
 4,412
 5,696
 16

 
 Orthodontics
 1,063
 1,521
 2,390
 102

 
 Paediatric Dentistry
 881
 916
 934
 3

 
 Paediatric Surgery
 991
 1,145
 1,773
 9

 
 Paediatrics
 4,170
 4,995
 5,411
 7

 
 Palliative Medicine
 17
 17
 17
 -

 
 Plastic Surgery
 2,882
 3,845
 4,860
 70

 
 Psychiatry of Old Age
 2,175
 2,222
 2,243
 11

 
 Rehabilitation Medicine
 348
 412
 473
 1

 
 Renal Medicine
 485
 558
 592
 2

 
 Respiratory Medicine
 3,332
 3,601
 3,782
 3

 
 Restorative Dentistry
 330
 520
 907
 4

 
 Rheumatology
 1,646
 2,107
 2,713
 5

 
 Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
 11,185
 15,122
 21,137
 153

 
 Urology
 6,525
 8,409
 10,188
 52



  NHSScotland: Number of Consultant-Led First Out-Patient Appointments, Following Referral by a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, Undertaken within Nine weeks, 13 Weeks, 26 Weeks, And After 52 Weeks, by Specialty1, during the Quarter Ended 31 March 2000.

  
 
 
 Number of Appointments Undertaken

 NHS Board
 Specialty
Within9 Weeks
Within13 Weeks
Within26 Weeks
After52 Weeks

 NHSScotland
 All Specialties
 167,216
 202,497
 252,778
 1,408

 
 Anaesthetics
 420
 552
 969
 5

 
 Cardiology
 5,791
 6,663
 7,580
 22

 
 Cardiothoracic Surgery
 390
 404
 408
 -

 
 Chemical Pathology
 2
 2
 2
 -

 
 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
 906
 1,099
 1,286
 4

 
 Clinical Genetics
 147
 208
 336
 4

 
 Clinical Oncology
 570
 577
 585
 1

 
 Clinical Radiology
 9
 10
 10
 -

 
 Dermatology
 10,767
 14,213
 19,560
 292

 
 Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
 13,648
 17,142
 21,997
 85

 
 Endocrinology and Diabetes
 2,163
 2,669
 3,382
 14

 
 Forensic Psychiatry
 11
 11
 11
 -

 
 Gastroenterology
 2,076
 2,729
 4,000
 31

 
 General Medicine
 8,359
 10,271
 12,478
 29

 
 General Practice
 250
 271
 280
 1

 
 General Psychiatry (Mental Illness)
 6,709
 7,376
 7,993
 30

 
 General Surgery
 27,726
 32,465
 38,547
 117

 
 Geriatric Medicine
 3,006
 3,086
 3,115
 7

 
 Gynaecology
 17,845
 21,833
 24,878
 32

 
 Haematology
 1,487
 1,553
 1,602
 6

 
 Homeopathy
 105
 172
 377
 62

 
 Infectious Diseases
 653
 669
 713
 1

 
 Learning Disability (Mental Handicap)
 65
 69
 73
 -

 
 Medical Oncology
 189
 190
 191
 -

 
 Neurology
 1,969
 2,356
 3,350
 21

 
 Neurosurgery
 544
 575
 803
 1

 
 Obstetrics
 12,531
 12,748
 12,862
 22

 
 Occupational Medicine
 1
 1
 1
 -

 
 Ophthalmology
 10,298
 13,433
 18,690
 77

 
 Oral Medicine
 123
 299
 539
 -

 
 Oral Surgery
 3,632
 4,532
 5,865
 55

 
 Orthodontics
 849
 1,443
 2,627
 129

 
 Paediatric Dentistry
 856
 1,010
 1,040
 5

 
 Paediatric Surgery
 1,038
 1,090
 1,858
 12

 
 Paediatrics
 4,534
 5,106
 5,555
 5

 
 Palliative Medicine
 20
 20
 20
 -

 
 Plastic Surgery
 2,329
 3,191
 4,665
 96

 
 Psychiatry of Old Age
 2,621
 2,679
 2,716
 7

 
 Rehabilitation Medicine
 330
 404
 528
 -

 
 Renal Medicine
 482
 531
 563
 2

 
 Respiratory Medicine
 3,310
 3,544
 3,779
 8

 
 Restorative Dentistry
 431
 864
 1,016
 4

 
 Rheumatology
 1,804
 2,271
 3,148
 17

 
 Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
 9,925
 13,477
 21,768
 105

 
 Urology
 6,295
 8,689
 11,012
 99



  NHSScotland: Number of Consultant-Led First Out-Patient Appointments, Following Referral by a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, Undertaken within Nine weeks, 13 Weeks, 26 Weeks, And After 52 Weeks, by Specialty1, during the Quarter Ended 31 March 2001.

  
 NHS Board
 Specialty
 Number of Appointments Undertaken

Within9 Weeks
Within13 Weeks
Within26 Weeks
After52 Weeks

 NHSScotland
 All Specialties
 158,571
 193,151
 242,239
 2,617

 
 Anaesthetics
 350
 574
 963
 10

 
 Cardiology
 5,970
 7,005
 8,121
 19

 
 Cardiothoracic Surgery
 470
 482
 489
 -

 
 Chemical Pathology
 4
 5
 5
 -

 
 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
 735
 931
 1,134
 20

 
 Clinical Genetics
 193
 263
 339
 5

 
 Clinical Oncology
 628
 632
 639
 1

 
 Clinical Radiology
 288
 297
 303
 -

 
 Dermatology
 11,256
 13,698
 18,632
 67

 
 Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
 12,068
 15,549
 20,309
 131

 
 Endocrinology and Diabetes
 2,150
 2,718
 3,390
 20

 
 Gastroenterology
 2,130
 2,768
 4,168
 22

 
 General Medicine
 8,365
 10,278
 12,305
 38

 
 General Practice
 193
 199
 222
 -

 
 General Psychiatry (Mental Illness)
 5,716
 6,406
 6,917
 28

 
 General Surgery
 26,329
 31,288
 36,657
 202

 
 Geriatric Medicine
 3,010
 3,162
 3,222
 7

 
 Gynaecology
 16,040
 20,181
 23,983
 44

 
 Haematology
 1,474
 1,544
 1,583
 4

 
 Homeopathy
 77
 126
 315
 759

 
 Infectious Diseases
 965
 999
 1,027
 -

 
 Learning Disability (Mental Handicap)
 60
 60
 64
 1

 
 Medical Oncology
 187
 191
 192
 -

 
 Neurology
 1,731
 2,171
 3,234
 15

 
 Neurosurgery
 589
 707
 821
 8

 
 Obstetrics
 12,622
 12,785
 12,854
 20

 
 Ophthalmology
 10,052
 13,335
 18,292
 120

 
 Oral Medicine
 310
 438
 733
 3

 
 Oral Surgery
 2,885
 3,959
 5,617
 121

 
 Orthodontics
 775
 1,290
 2,585
 87

 
 Paediatric Dentistry
 765
 826
 999
 -

 
 Paediatric Surgery
 1,037
 1,121
 1,251
 114

 
 Paediatrics
 4,040
 4,965
 5,436
 23

 
 Palliative Medicine
 25
 25
 25
 -

 
 Plastic Surgery
 2,178
 3,084
 4,191
 310

 
 Psychiatry of Old Age
 2,556
 2,616
 2,657
 7

 
 Rehabilitation Medicine
 275
 353
 437
 -

 
 Renal Medicine
 450
 573
 640
 7

 
 Respiratory Medicine
 3,178
 3,542
 3,727
 15

 
 Restorative Dentistry
 603
 831
 1,156
 31

 
 Rheumatology
 1,760
 2,249
 3,092
 9

 
 Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
 8,268
 11,003
 18,801
 302

 
 Urology
 5,814
 7,922
 10,712
 47



  NHSScotland: Number of Consultant-Led First Out-Patient Appointments, Following Referral by a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, Undertaken within Nine weeks, 13 Weeks, 26 Weeks, And After 52 Weeks, by Specialty1, during the Quarter Ended 31 March 2002.

  
 NHS Board
 Specialty
 Number of Appointments Undertaken

Within9 Weeks
Within13 Weeks
Within26 Weeks
After52 Weeks

 NHSScotland
 All Specialties
 145,890
 178,868
 230,170
 3,886

 
 Anaesthetics
 391
 547
 1,011
 10

 
 Cardiology
 5,573
 6,751
 7,701
 35

 
 Cardiothoracic Surgery
 439
 446
 452
 -

 
 Chemical Pathology
 1
 1
 1
 -

 
 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
 744
 869
 978
 30

 
 Clinical Genetics
 257
 339
 494
 9

 
 Clinical Oncology
 708
 720
 722
 2

 
 Clinical Radiology
 416
 425
 427
 -

 
 Dermatology
 9,405
 12,472
 17,293
 276

 
 Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
 11,461
 14,903
 20,515
 245

 
 Endocrinology and Diabetes
 1,963
 2,524
 3,432
 45

 
 Gastroenterology
 2,458
 3,118
 4,752
 44

 
 General Medicine
 7,839
 9,620
 12,198
 157

 
 General Practice
 135
 142
 144
 -

 
 General Psychiatry (Mental Illness)
 5,023
 5,764
 6,264
 51

 
 General Surgery
 24,841
 28,975
 34,811
 218

 
 Geriatric Medicine
 3,080
 3,221
 3,319
 19

 
 Gynaecology
 14,290
 18,280
 23,526
 122

 
 Haematology
 1,645
 1,744
 1,813
 4

 
 Homeopathy
 101
 164
 298
 137

 
 Infectious Diseases
 779
 811
 839
 1

 
 Learning Disability (Mental Handicap)
 56
 60
 64
 1

 
 Medical Oncology
 316
 316
 317
 -

 
 Neurology
 1,922
 2,305
 3,164
 72

 
 Neurosurgery
 509
 587
 680
 2

 
 Obstetrics
 11,202
 11,380
 11,471
 35

 
 Ophthalmology
 8,294
 11,534
 16,482
 273

 
 Oral Medicine
 304
 427
 516
 11

 
 Oral Surgery
 3,188
 4,300
 5,721
 173

 
 Orthodontics
 918
 1,289
 2,347
 297

 
 Paediatric Dentistry
 720
 830
 1,128
 24

 
 Paediatric Surgery
 1,040
 1,140
 1,294
 359

 
 Paediatrics
 3,642
 4,484
 5,274
 13

 
 Palliative Medicine
 20
 21
 21
 -

 
 Plastic Surgery
 1,727
 2,675
 3,745
 325

 
 Psychiatry of Old Age
 2,065
 2,140
 2,186
 14

 
 Rehabilitation Medicine
 336
 415
 482
 5

 
 Renal Medicine
 411
 594
 644
 2

 
 Respiratory Medicine
 3,151
 3,426
 3,708
 29

 
 Restorative Dentistry
 512
 632
 1,188
 66

 
 Rheumatology
 1,724
 2,236
 3,207
 23

 
 Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
 7,017
 9,542
 15,670
 572

 
 Urology
 5,267
 6,699
 9,871
 185



  NHSScotland: Number of Consultant-Led First Out-Patient Appointments, Following Referral by a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, Undertaken within Nine weeks, 13 Weeks, 26 Weeks, And After 52 Weeks, by Specialty1, during the Quarter Ended 31 March 2003.

  
 NHS Board
 Specialty
 Number of Appointments undertaken

 Within 9 Weeks
 Within 13 Weeks
 Within 26 Weeks
 After 52 Weeks

 NHSScotland
 All Specialties
 144,760
 175,430
 224,217
 7,697

 
 Anaesthetics
 328
 508
 965
 14

 
 Cardiology
 4,775
 5,967
 7,228
 16

 
 Cardiothoracic Surgery
 425
 455
 461
 2

 
 Chemical Pathology
 8
 8
 8
 -

 
 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
 586
 708
 839
 27

 
 Clinical Genetics
 232
 301
 446
 27

 
 Clinical Oncology
 630
 634
 635
 -

 
 Clinical Radiology
 414
 422
 424
 9

 
 Dermatology
 10,139
 13,039
 17,936
 475

 
 Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
 10,789
 13,550
 18,804
 596

 
 Endocrinology and Diabetes
 2,040
 2,604
 3,353
 59

 
 Gastroenterology
 2,206
 2,721
 4,204
 66

 
 General Medicine
 7,406
 9,083
 11,325
 177

 
 General Practice
 393
 425
 459
 23

 
 General Psychiatry (Mental Illness)
 3,649
 4,195
 4,705
 53

 
 General Surgery
 24,613
 28,783
 34,164
 246

 
 Geriatric Medicine
 2,932
 3,045
 3,120
 6

 
 Gynaecology
 15,148
 19,035
 23,877
 129

 
 Haematology
 1,759
 1,890
 2,005
 5

 
 Homeopathy
 78
 127
 240
 239

 
 Infectious Diseases
 646
 725
 771
 2

 
 Learning Disability (Mental Handicap)
 16
 16
 18
 -

 
 Medical Oncology
 372
 378
 385
 -

 
 Neurology
 2,045
 2,529
 3,340
 146

 
 Neurosurgery
 477
 571
 669
 1

 
 Obstetrics
 12,100
 12,327
 12,438
 29

 
 Ophthalmology
 8,576
 11,936
 17,278
 1,065

 
 Oral Medicine
 165
 187
 310
 90

 
 Oral Surgery
 3,227
 4,194
 5,199
 384

 
 Orthodontics
 682
 1,172
 2,071
 435

 
 Paediatric Dentistry
 429
 479
 669
 30

 
 Paediatric Surgery
 970
 1,078
 1,265
 588

 
 Paediatrics
 4,304
 4,896
 5,386
 15

 
 Palliative Medicine
 21
 21
 21
 -

 
 Plastic Surgery
 1,583
 2,195
 3,749
 219

 
 Psychiatry of Old Age
 1,796
 1,858
 1,888
 8

 
 Rehabilitation Medicine
 262
 316
 377
 1

 
 Renal Medicine
 513
 620
 848
 5

 
 Respiratory Medicine
 3,378
 3,641
 3,847
 125

 
 Restorative Dentistry
 359
 453
 681
 58

 
 Rheumatology
 1,746
 2,115
 3,132
 92

 
 Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
 6,522
 8,710
 14,563
 1,838

 
 Urology
 6,021
 7,510
 10,115
 397



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR00.

  Note: 1. All specialties excluding accident and emergency and genito-urinary medicine are included in SMR00 returns.

NHS Waiting Lists

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9744 by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 August 2004, how many out-patients in each NHS board area were waiting more than (a) 18 months and (b) two years for an NHS appointment, broken down by individual speciality, in the quarters to (i) March 1999, (ii) June 1999, (iii) March 2000, (iv) March 2001, (v) March 2002 and (vi) March 2003.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested for NHSScotland is set out in the following tables.

  Every year NHSScotland undertakes 4 million out-patient appointments, of which around 1 million of these are first out-patient appointments. Nearly 90% of patients receive their first out-patient appointment within 26 weeks.

  I have arranged for the information requested for NHS boards to be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number: 33876) as it runs to 19 pages.

  NHSScotland: Number of Consultant-Led First Out-Patient Appointments, Following Referral by a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, Undertaken after 18 Months and After Two Years, by Specialty1, During the Quarter Ended 31 March 1999

  
 NHS Board
 Specialty
 Number of Appointments Undertaken After:

 18 Months
 2 Years

 NHSScotland
 All Specialties
 172
 119

 
 Cardiology
 3
 2

 
 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
 2
 2

 
 Dermatology
 7
 6

 
 Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
 9
 8

 
 Endocrinology and Diabetes
 1
 1

 
 General Medicine
 17
 10

 
 General Psychiatry (Mental Illness)
 8
 5

 
 General Surgery
 15
 9

 
 Gynaecology
 8
 4

 
 Homeopathy
 48
 47

 
 Neurology
 2
 2

 
 Obstetrics
 7
 6

 
 Ophthalmology
 7
 4

 
 Oral Surgery
 1
 1

 
 Orthodontics
 15
 1

 
 Paediatrics
 1
 1

 
 Plastic Surgery
 3
 1

 
 Psychiatry of Old Age
 3
 2

 
 Respiratory Medicine
 1
 1

 
 Restorative Dentistry
 1
 -

 
 Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
 5
 1

 
 Urology
 8
 5



  NHSScotland: Number of Consultant-Led First Out-Patient Appointments, Following Referral by a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, Undertaken after 18 Months and After Two Years, by Specialty1, During the Quarter Ended 30 June 1999

  
 NHS Board
 Specialty
 Number of Appointments Undertaken After:

 18 Months
 2 Years

 NHSScotland
 All Specialties
 161
 70

 
 Anaesthetics
 1
 -

 
 Cardiology
 5
 4

 
 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
 3
 3

 
 Dermatology
 8
 1

 
 Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
 9
 7

 
 Endocrinology and Diabetes
 1
 -

 
 Gastroenterology
 1
 1

 
 General Medicine
 7
 5

 
 General Psychiatry (Mental Illness)
 3
 2

 
 General Surgery
 16
 10

 
 Gynaecology
 10
 6

 
 Homeopathy
 8
 5

 
 Neurology
 2
 2

 
 Neurosurgery
 2
 2

 
 Obstetrics
 8
 8

 
 Ophthalmology
 2
 -

 
 Oral Medicine
 1
 1

 
 Oral Surgery
 2
 1

 
 Orthodontics
 45
 -

 
 Paediatric Surgery
 1
 -

 
 Paediatrics
 1
 -

 
 Plastic Surgery
 3
 2

 
 Psychiatry of Old Age
 7
 2

 
 Rheumatology
 2
 2

 
 Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
 8
 4

 
 Urology
 5
 2



  NHSScotland: Number of Consultant-Led First Out-Patient Appointments, Following Referral by a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, Undertaken after 18 Months and After Two Years, by Specialty1, During the Quarter Ended 31 March 2000

  
 NHS Board
 Specialty
Number of AppointmentsUndertaken After:

 18 Months
 2 Years

 NHSScotland
 All Specialties
 250
 91

 
 Cardiology
 5
 -

 
 Clinical Genetics
 2
 1

 
 Clinical Oncology
 1
 -

 
 Dermatology
 54
 2

 
 Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
 4
 2

 
 Endocrinology and Diabetes
 2
 -

 
 Gastroenterology
 4
 -

 
 General Medicine
 5
 2

 
 General Psychiatry (Mental Illness)
 4
 2

 
 General Surgery
 10
 3

 
 Geriatric Medicine
 3
 3

 
 Gynaecology
 3
 1

 
 Homeopathy
 20
 9

 
 Neurology
 7
 -

 
 Obstetrics
 4
 2

 
 Ophthalmology
 10
 3

 
 Oral Surgery
 4
 1

 
 Orthodontics
 53
 44

 
 Paediatric Dentistry
 2
 1

 
 Paediatric Surgery
 3
 -

 
 Paediatrics
 1
 1

 
 Plastic Surgery
 9
 2

 
 Psychiatry of Old Age
 3
 1

 
 Renal Medicine
 2
 -

 
 Restorative Dentistry
 3
 2

 
 Rheumatology
 5
 3

 
 Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
 10
 4

 
 Urology
 17
 2



  NHSScotland: Number of Consultant-Led First Out-Patient Appointments, Following Referral by a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, Undertaken after 18 Months and After Two Years, by Specialty1, During the Quarter Ended 31 March 2001

  
 NHS Board
 Specialty
Number of AppointmentsUndertaken After:

 18 Months
 2 Years

 NHSScotland
 All Specialties
 1,022
 675

 
 Anaesthetics
 3
 1

 
 Cardiology
 3
 3

 
 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
 3
 1

 
 Dermatology
 4
 -

 
 Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
 9
 1

 
 Endocrinology and Diabetes
 3
 1

 
 Gastroenterology
 2
 -

 
 General Medicine
 8
 1

 
 General Psychiatry (Mental Illness)
 4
 1

 
 General Surgery
 48
 3

 
 Geriatric Medicine
 1
 -

 
 Gynaecology
 6
 2

 
 Haematology
 1
 -

 
 Homeopathy
 661
 632

 
 Neurology
 2
 1

 
 Obstetrics
 1
 1

 
 Ophthalmology
 18
 7

 
 Oral Surgery
 34
 -

 
 Orthodontics
 8
 1

 
 Paediatric Surgery
 24
 1

 
 Paediatrics
 5
 -

 
 Plastic Surgery
 149
 15

 
 Respiratory Medicine
 1
 1

 
 Restorative Dentistry
 2
 -

 
 Rheumatology
 1
 1

 
 Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
 14
 1

 
 Urology
 7
 -



  NHSScotland: Number of Consultant-Led First Out-Patient Appointments, Following Referral by a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, Undertaken after 18 Months and After Two Years, by Specialty1, During the Quarter Ended 31 March 2002

  
 NHS Board
 Specialty
 Number of Appointments Undertaken After:

 18 Months
 2 Years

 NHSScotland
 All Specialties
 607
 148

 
 Anaesthetics
 2
 2

 
 Cardiology
 12
 8

 
 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
 1
 -

 
 Clinical Genetics
 1
 -

 
 Clinical Oncology
 1
 1

 
 Dermatology
 23
 6

 
 Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
 24
 4

 
 Endocrinology and Diabetes
 7
 2

 
 Gastroenterology
 17
 -

 
 General Medicine
 27
 20

 
 General Psychiatry (Mental Illness)
 3
 -

 
 General Surgery
 60
 7

 
 Gynaecology
 8
 1

 
 Haematology
 1
 1

 
 Homeopathy
 68
 12

 
 Neurology
 2
 2

 
 Obstetrics
 2
 2

 
 Ophthalmology
 26
 3

 
 Oral Medicine
 1
 -

 
 Oral Surgery
 53
 -

 
 Orthodontics
 14
 4

 
 Paediatric Surgery
 14
 -

 
 Paediatrics
 2
 1

 
 Plastic Surgery
 141
 53

 
 Rehabilitation Medicine
 2
 2

 
 Renal Medicine
 1
 1

 
 Respiratory Medicine
 1
 -

 
 Restorative Dentistry
 2
 -

 
 Rheumatology
 3
 -

 
 Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
 71
 8

 
 Urology
 17
 8



  NHSScotland: Number of Consultant-Led First Out-Patient Appointments, Following Referral by a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, Undertaken after 18 Months and After Two Years, by Specialty1, During the Quarter Ended 31 March 2003

  
 NHS Board
 Specialty
Number of AppointmentsUndertaken After:

 18 Months
 2 Years

 NHSScotland
 All Specialties
 1 711
 426

 
 Anaesthetics
 5
 2

 
 Cardiology
 2
 1

 
 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
 4
 -

 
 Clinical Genetics
 4
 -

 
 Clinical Radiology
 4
 3

 
 Dermatology
 72
 3

 
 Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
 34
 4

 
 Endocrinology and Diabetes
 37
 1

 
 Gastroenterology
 16
 1

 
 General Medicine
 92
 69

 
 General Practice
 8
 -

 
 General Psychiatry (Mental Illness)
 2
 -

 
 General Surgery
 51
 23

 
 Gynaecology
 6
 3

 
 Haematology
 1
 -

 
 Homeopathy
 202
 64

 
 Neurology
 4
 -

 
 Obstetrics
 2
 1

 
 Ophthalmology
 305
 33

 
 Oral Medicine
 11
 9

 
 Oral Surgery
 44
 9

 
 Orthodontics
 85
 9

 
 Paediatric Dentistry
 24
 19

 
 Paediatric Surgery
 47
 17

 
 Paediatrics
 4
 1

 
 Plastic Surgery
 85
 25

 
 Psychiatry of Old Age
 1
 1

 
 Rehabilitation Medicine
 1
 1

 
 Renal Medicine
 4
 1

 
 Respiratory Medicine
 12
 -

 
 Restorative Dentistry
 21
 7

 
 Rheumatology
 7
 2

 
 Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
 334
 116

 
 Urology
 180
 1



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR00.

  Note: 1. All specialties excluding accident and emergency and genito-urinary medicine are included in SMR00 returns.

National Health Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the working of NHS Lanarkshire.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS Lanarkshire is already subject to review by its auditors and by Audit Scotland; is held to account through financial and performance monitoring by the Executive and is subject to and annual accountability review which this year will be chaired by ministers. We have no plans for further reviews at this time.

National Health Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether contracts with the private sector providing services to the NHS will involve guaranteed numbers of patients and procedures and what length of contracts will be entered into.

Mr Andy Kerr: Under the proposed contracts with the independent health care sector set out in Fair to All, Personal to Each , published on 15 December 2004, we will ensure that terms - including numbers of patients and procedures and contract duration - are negotiated to provide value for the taxpayer and a quality service to NHS patients. In this way, NHS patients will benefit from faster diagnosis and treatment, whether this is provided directly by the NHS or arranged by the NHS under contract to the independent sector.

National Health Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether private contractors will have priority for patient investigations and treatments in order to meet any guaranteed patient number and income requirements, including in circumstances where local hospitals are able to carry out such procedures.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-13100, on 19 January 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  Increased diagnostic and treatment capacity for NHS patients, whether within the NHS or available to the NHS under contract, must and will be managed operationally in a way that safeguards the interests of patients and taxpayers.

National Health Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what tariffs will apply to each procedure, investigation and treatment undertaken by private contractors with contracts with the NHS.

Mr Andy Kerr: The NHS in Scotland does not operate a tariff-based financial system. Under the proposed contracts with the independent health care sector set out in Fair to All, Personal to Each , published on 15 December 2004, we will ensure that terms are negotiated that provide value for the taxpayer and a quality service to NHS patients through a rigorous and competitive procurement process. In this way, NHS patients will benefit from faster diagnosis and treatment, whether this is provided directly by the NHS or arranged by the NHS under contract to the independent sector.

Nuclear Power

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what planning applications have been received in connection with the nuclear industry in each of the last five years.

Allan Wilson: There have been no applications from the nuclear industry to construct, extend or operate a generating station in any of the last five years.

Police

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many special initiatives will be undertaken by Lothian and Borders Police in (a) 2001-02, (b) 2002-03 and (c) 2003-04; how many are being undertaken in 2004-05, and how many are planned for 2005-06, broken down by divisional area.

Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally and is an operational matter for the Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders Police.

Public Sector Staff

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to persuade the UK Department of Trade and Industry to locate additional energy-related civil service jobs in Aberdeen.

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any discussions within the UK Department of Trade and Industry on the possibility of transferring energy-related civil service posts to Aberdeen; whether its views were sought on any such proposal and, if so, whether it will provide details of any such discussions or views.

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether the UK Department of Trade and Industry has taken a decision not to locate additional energy-related posts to its Aberdeen office and whether it intends to raise the matter with that department.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues including the potential to relocate UK civil service jobs in Scotland.

  Decisions about the deployment of civil service staff in UK departments are an operational matter for the department concerned. However, Scottish Development International is in discussions with a range of UK Government departments about the advantages of Scottish locations for specific projects as part of its role to seek to attract high-quality jobs and investment to Scotland.

Renewable Energy

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set regional targets for wind farm applications as a local contribution to national targets.

Mr Jim Wallace: We have no plans to set regional targets for wind farm applications. We have however established an environmental advisory forum for renewable energy which will provide advice on the land use planning and locational aspects of renewable energy.

Renewable Energy

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much energy was produced in Scotland from (a) wind farms, (b) solar power and (c) small-scale domestic factory-size windmills in each of the last three years.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information is not available, as renewable energy output figures are not broken down in the manner requested.

Scottish Executive Buildings

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the relocation of its Central Inquiry Unit to Kinlochleven, whether the unit will move into the premises occupied presently by Database Direct and, if so, when it first considered taking occupancy of these premises.

Tavish Scott: The decision to relocate the Central Enquiry Unit to Kinlochleven took account of the fact that suitable vacant property was available. The premises currently occupied by Database Direct were not included in the original property assessment, which was provided to the Executive by the local enterprise company. A final decision on which premises the unit will occupy has yet to be taken.

Scottish Executive Departments

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many frauds have been discovered within its operations in each year since 1999 and, of these, what percentage was discovered as result of whistle-blowing.

Mr Tom McCabe: There have been two substantiated frauds by staff in the Scottish Executive’s core departments in the last five years, as reported under the Executive’s Fraud Response Plan. For the amount of these frauds I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-12251 on 9 December 2004. All answers for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search . Neither of these frauds were discovered as a result of whistle-blowing.

Social Inclusion

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Enterprise will withdraw from offering social inclusion programmes and, if so, how any resulting gap will be filled.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive is committed to closing the opportunity gap for the most disadvantaged communities in Scotland. The refreshed A Smart, Successful Scotland  (SSS), which provides strategic direction to Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, makes clear that while their activities must have a primary economic rationale, they must also be carried out in a way that contributes to closing the opportunity gap.

  As stated in SSS, a memorandum of understanding is being developed between Scottish Enterprise and Communities Scotland to ensure alignment of activities in respect of area regeneration projects. The proposed Employability Framework will agree the responsibilities of bodies involved in supporting people into employment, including Scottish Enterprise.

Voluntary Sector

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with local authorities and voluntary sector providers regarding the development of better support for carers when the person being cared for is terminally ill and spending their last days in their own home.

Mr Andy Kerr: Since our Carers Strategy was introduced in November 1999, the Executive has worked, and will continue to work, in close partnership with national carers’ organisations and key agencies in order to address priority issues for Scotland’s 600,000 plus carers. This issue has not been highlighted for specific discussion within the context of our national Carers Strategy. At a local level, we expect individual authorities, NHS boards and the voluntary sector to work in partnership to ensure that appropriate support is provided to patients, carers and families at this particularly difficult time.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Sewel Motions

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what information it has, in respect of each Sewel motion passed by the Parliament since 1999, concerning (a) the length of the debate in the Parliament on the motion, (b) the length of any debate on the motion in committee and (c) whether (i) oral or (ii) written evidence was taken by a committee on the motion.

George Reid: The information requested is given in the following table:

  Sewel Motions: Session 1

  
 Motion Number
 Plenary Debate (hrs:mins)
 Committee Debate (hrs:mins)
 Oral Evidence
 Written Evidence

 S1M-60
 00:59
 
 
 

 S1M-61
 00:23
 
 
 

 S1M-344
 (No debate)
 00:08
 Yes
 Yes

 S1M-405
 (No debate)
 00:14
 Yes
 Yes

 S1M-430
 01:57
 
 
 

 S1M-628
 (No debate)
 00:35
 Yes
 Yes

 S1M-733
 00:47
 
 
 

 S1M-810
 (No debate)
 05:00
 Yes
 Yes

 S1M-887
 00:57
 
 
 

 S1M-889
 (No debate)
 00:05
 Yes
 Yes

 S1M-975
 (No debate)
 00:08
 Yes
 Yes

 S1M-1072
 00:15
 
 
 

 S1M-1073
 (No debate)
 00:03
 Yes
 Yes

 S1M-1240
 00:41
 
 
 

 S1M-1527
 00:34
 
 
 

 S1M-1528
 00:19
 
 
 

 S1M-1529
 00:26
 
 
 

 S1M-1596
 00:26
 
 
 

 S1M-1618
 00:26
 
 
 

 S1M-1645
 (No debate)
 00:05
 Yes
 Yes

 S1M-1713
 00:25
 
 
 

 S1M-1795
 00:03
 00:20
 Yes
 Yes

 S1M-1818
 02:15
 
 
 

 S1M-2341
 00:38
 
 
 

 S1M-2342
 00:15
 
 
 

 S1M-2445
 01:38
 
 
 

 S1M-2458
 00:20
 
 
 

 S1M-2649
 00:33
 
 
 

 S1M-2650
 00:32
 
 
 

 S1M-2983
 00:24
 
 
 

 S1M-3211
 00:05
 
 
 

 S1M-3237
 00:27
 
 
 

 S1M-3608
 00:58
 
 
 

 S1M-3649
 00:22
 
 
 

 S1M-3670
 00:42
 
 
 

 S1M-3671
 00:40
 
 
 

 S1M-3833
 00:08
 
 
 

 S1M-4022
 00:12
 00:50
 Yes
 Yes

 S1M-4023
 (No debate)
 
 
 

 Total Time 
 18:48
 07:28
 
 



  Sewel Motions: Session 2

  
 Motion Number
 Plenary Debate (hrs:mins)
 Committee Debate (hrs:mins)
 Oral Evidence
 Written Evidence

 S2M-136
 01:59
 
 
 

 S2M-137
 00:38
 
 
 

 S2M-240
 (No debate)
 00:15
 Yes
 Yes

 S2M-407
 00:03
 00:18
 Yes
 Yes

 S2M-543
 00:25
 00:49
 Yes
 Yes

 S2M-786
 (No debate)
 
 
 

 S2M-787
 00:03
 00:25
 Yes
 Yes

 S2M-788
 01:13
 01:18
 Yes
 Yes

 S2M-813
 00:31
 
 
 

 S2M-838
 00:31
 
 
 

 S2M-936
 00:29
 
 
 

 S2M-973
 00:15
 
 
 

 S2M-974
 00:57
 
 
 

 S2M-1202
 00:56
 03:15
 Yes
 Yes

 S2M-2118
 (No debate)
 01:35
 Yes
 Yes

 Total Time
 08:00
 07:55
 
 



  The SPICe Fact Sheets on Sewel motions are being updated and will be published on the website in due course.